Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific on Saturday said it flew 6.7 million passengers in 2008, representing a 23 percent annual growth despite impacts of high fuel prices and the global economic turmoil in the second half of the year.
In a press release, the 13-year-old airline company attributed the passenger load growth to the increase in its seat capacity coupled with “trademark low fares”.
“The 2008 challenged us to look for ways to stimulate travel and sustain our domestic and international operations. And we were able to successfully convince more Filipinos to travel by air despite economic uncertainties,” Lance Gokongwei, the company’s president said.
He said domestic passengers grew 20.7 percent to 5.38 million in 2008, while international passengers rose by 33 percent to 1.4 million. But the company has not yet released the figures of turnover and profits last year.
Gokongwei said the airline expects to fly 9.3 million passengers this year as it takes delivery of six new planes, and expand its route network in the country and in Asia. Cebu Pacific Air currently flies to 15 international cities, mostly in East and Southeast Asia, and 27 domestic destinations.